Mechmerized
by DancitronCocktailWaitress
Summary: G1. Thundercracker's troubling predicament prompts his Air Commander to go above and beyond to save his Trine-mate. SLASH, rated for mature themes!
1. Thundercracker's Problem

_Author's Note:_ Thanks to everyone who commented on my previous story. The reviews were much appreciated! This story is not a sequel exactly, but it takes place in the same sort of "universe" as my first story. I broke this into parts because it was a bit long for one chapter.

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**Part One**

The situation was grim. The numbers appalling. The plan of action – asinine.

Starscream gritted his dentics as he scanned the data-pad. If it were anyone other than Megatron, he would have considered what he was reading to be a cruel and unfunny joke. But it _was _Megatron and Starscream knew that this "battle plan" he was reading was meant to be taken seriously. Of course, Megatron was on Cybertron at the moment attending to "personal business." The "business" included overseeing the progress of the reprogramming of the Combaticons. As he was the creator of the unruly gestalt team, Starscream had not understood why _he _had not been dispatched to Cybertron to oversee the modifications, but Megatron said insisted that his presence would be unnecessary.

_No, you fool, what you've handed me is unnecessary! _Starscream felt his injectors trembling with rage. _While you frag around with Shockwave, I'm handed this moronic 'plan' and am expected to make energon salad out of energon slag!_

He squeezed his optics shut in a futile attempt to halt the pounding in his processor. The Decepticons were in a true predicament, and Megatron's natural idiocy aside, Starscream was surprised that their _leader _had left things in such a state. Energon supplies were alarmingly low. They'd sent millions of cubes to Cybertron from Earth after the female Autobots had raided Decepticon headquarters, and now it had been consumed by repairs, rebuilding fortifications and defenses.

Now their store of energon had dipped below acceptable levels/ Everyone was on half-rations. Attempts at finding power sources rich enough to fill the requisite number of energon cubes needed for normal function had not been very successful. And Megatron, who likely at that moment was glutting himself on high grade and shooting the slag with Shockwave, had left only these _ridiculous _instructions behind with the quietly menacing declaration that when he got back to Earth with the Combaticons, he expected a new energon supply to have been sourced and ready for plunder. The threat of what would happen, especially to _him_, if he failed was a scenario all too familiar to the Seeker. He could already hear Megatron's imperious voice thundering: _Starscream, you fool! Starscream, you imbecile! Starscream, you worthless bucket of bolts! Starscream -_

"Starscream, have you heard anything I've said?"

"What?" He raised his head quickly and was slightly confused to see Thundercracker in front of him, his servos jammed on his hip-plates and a glare in his optics. Starscream recalled that his blue Trine-mate had come to see him in his private quarters, but that had seemed like joors ago, and he'd thought the mech had already left.

"You're still here? Don't you have work to attend to?" Starscream sneered at the blue Seeker whose red optics narrowed even more in response. "Primus knows _I _do – I've got to find a way to solve this slagging energon crisis -"

Thundercracker's wings twitched as he huffed: "If you'd been _listening _to me, you would've known that I've come up with something that might do that."

"Oh?" Starscream raised an optic ridge. Thundercracker was no scientist, but he was also no fool. Whatever plan he might have thought up was bound to be better than the slag Megatron had come up with. "And what did you have in mind?"

"It's simple, really: humans."

_All right, I take that back about it being a better plan than Megatron's. _"Excuse me?"

"Humans," the blue Seeker repeated slowly, as if he thought Starscream's audios were malfunctioning. "Don't you ever wonder why the Autobots are never in these predicaments? Why they never have to go on half-rations or lick the bottom of their trenchers for the last dregs of energon?"

Starscream was silent. The question was unnecessary because he _didn't _wonder why – he _knew_. It all came down to leadership. Optimus Prime, for all his numerous flaws, was the epitome of a leader. Megatron was the epitome of a buffoon. It was that simple. Now, if _he _were leading the Decepticons, things would be different …

"It's the humans," Thundercracker went on, mindless of Starscream's silence. "The humans like the Autobots and this is their planet. Of course they'd know where the energy-rich areas are to be found. There are likely millions of them, some hidden, probably, that only the humans know about. They tell the Autobots and the Autobots take their fill. We need human allies that would do the same for us. Then we'd never have to scrounge like this."

"Humans," Starscream repeated dully. "Humans? That's your _brilliant_ idea? _Humans_? The same creatures that shriek and run away at the sight of a mech?"

"Aw, get that look off your faceplates," growled Thundercracker. "The humans obviously aren't afraid of the Autobots. Surely we could find some who would … _like_ us."

Starscream blew a long stream of air through his vents. If his tanks had been less empty, he would've laughed, but he didn't think he could spare the energy. Obviously Thundercracker had been under the influence of Skywarp's intellect – or what passed for it – for too long.

"To my knowledge, we've only found _one _flesh creature who did not fear us or find us revolting," said Starscream with a grimace. "The great Dr. Arkeville. Is _he _the sort of ally you had in mind?"

Thundercracker paled slightly. "No. But he was _insane_."

"Exactly. And the same would apply to any other flesh creature who'd join _our _cause." Starscream put aside the data-pad, slightly thankful to have something else to focus on, but slightly annoyed that the "something else" was Thundercracker's flights of fancy.

"They're weak, the fleshlings," he said with a barely suppressed quiver of disgust. "Their bodies are soft and squishy. They have the most appalling habits and customs. Their brains are sickeningly underdeveloped compared to a mech's, but they are _not _complete idiots." _Unlike some I could name. _

Starscream held back from saying that aloud. Anyway, he wasn't referring to Thundercracker, or even Skywarp – it was Megatron that he was thinking of.

"Thanks to our very public conflicts with the Autobots and our very public _failures_ occasioned by our great leader Megatron, the humans understand that we Decepticons want only to strip this mudball of its energy resources for our own means," Starscream went on. "Once we have reduced it to a dried-out husk, we will have no more use for it or the creatures that infest it."

Starscream shook his head slowly. "They'd no sooner ally with us than _we _would with a race of beings intent on stripping Cybertron of its natural gifts. It is the one thing I can find un-repulsive about the fleshlings – they protect their own – in their own pitifully ineffective ways, of course."

The gust of air that burst from the blue Seeker's vents nearly knocked Starscream to the floor. "Then maybe that's the problem. Maybe if we promised not to hurt some of them, they'd believe us and help us. I don't understand why Megatron goes out of his way to frighten them anyway. They're no real threat to us on their own."

Starscream slowly rose to his pedes. This conversation was drifting into dangerous territory. Thundercracker's odd sympathy for the Earth creatures was well known among the Decepticon forces, and it was largely ignored. Megatron even joked about it at times, but with such a crucial shortage of resources, it could be very different now. With energon stores so low, Starscream could not take the chance that his Trine-mate's foolish indulgence would single him out for a stint in the brig, where an energon ration of any sort was not guaranteed. Also, Megatron might try to make an example out of _him_ for not having his Seekers in line with the "Decepticon cause."

"You are a fool," he said shortly. "We were sparked to become conquerors, lords of the universe. We are _Decepticons._ We take what we wish and discard the rest. If the plight of the flesh creatures truly pains your spark so much, then resign your commission as a Decepticon soldier and go join the Autobots! I'm sure they'll welcome you with open armaments!"

He prepared himself for a barrage of insults from his Trine-mate, but none came. Thundercracker looked as if he were about to speak, but instead he just turned on his pedes and began to walk away. At the sight of his Trine-mate's back, Starscream noted with alarm that his wings seemed to be sagging and the bolts at the base of his back looked shrunken and almost rusty. His faceplates pulled into a small frown. There was something wrong with the blue Seeker. There had been a strange tension along their Trine bond for several megacycles now, but Starscream had just attributed it to the reduction in their energon intake. That still could have been what it was, but Starscream was not certain. They'd had shortages before and Seekers were designed to be relatively energy efficient. He and his Trine should not be as affected by the lack of energon as, say, the Constructicons were. Yet there was Thundercracker dragging his aft as if he were rusting from he inside out.

"Wait. Come back here."

Thundercracker turned, his optic ridges constricting in what looked to be pain. "Listen Starscream, you've made your point, and I'm not in the mood to be glitched at today, so -"

"There's something wrong with you." Starscream swept his Trine-mate with a searching glance. "You've been sluggish on patrols, and now all this slag about the humans. You never go on about the flesh creatures unless something else is bothering you. What is it?"

"What do you care?" Thundercracker tried to sound harsh, but Starscream could tell his spark wasn't in it. "Obviously you're _busy_, so I'll just go and drink my fragging half-ration and wait for patrols."

"Sit." Starscream waved a servo toward a bench. "I'm your Air Commander and your Trine-mate. It's my _right _and duty to care – my life and the life of other Decepticons could depend on it. Now, unless you want me to have Scrapper do one of his special _scans -_"

"All right, all right! Primus, you don't have to get nasty." Thundercracker parked his aft heavily on the bench. "I'm having some … functional issues."

Starscream's optics narrowed. Whenever Thundercracker acted cagey, it was trouble. "What sort of … functional issues?"

The blue Seeker squirmed uncomfortably, twisting his servos up and around. "It … well, it's embarrassing. It's not the sort of thing I'd want everyone on the ship knowing."

"And you think _I'd _lower myself to idle gossiping?" Starscream huffed indignantly. "I'm far too busy showing my vastly superior leadership skills to go around flapping my mouthplates about some little hiccup in your programming." Besides, he thought to himself with a sneer, the only people he ever did gossip with were his wing-mates, and whatever Thundercracker was about to tell him, Skywarp probably already knew.

"I'm serious, if I hear one word -"

"For the love of Primus, just spit it out already!" Starscream shrieked, feeling several fuses in his neckplates start to pop. "What? What the Pit is wrong with you?"

"I …" The blue-winged mech shut his optics as if in fear and dread. "I ... I've been unable to overload."

Starscream's mouth dropped open slightly. He hadn't been expecting _that_. "You've what?"

"You heard me." The Seeker cracked open one optic and then the other. His vocalizer sounded strained. "No matter what I do, I get to the brink, but then, ngggghhh, nothing!"

The Air Commander gaped, truly in shock. "Are you certain?"

"Yes, I'm certain!" snapped Thundercracker. "I don't know how long it's been for _you_, but I know what an overload feels like and I know I haven't been having them!"

"Primus." Starscream was willing to overlook his subordinate's rudeness under the circumstances. This _was _serious. "How long has this been going on?"

Thundercracker started squirming again. "Um ..."

"_How long, Thundercracker_?"

He sighed. "About 18 orns, five megacycles and three nano-kliks. Er, four nano-kliks."

"All that time?" Starscream was aghast. "That was even before the energon shortage, so that cannot be the cause! You never thought to _tell _anyone?"

"Oh, right. Sure, I wanted to go to Hook and mention that I couldn't overload, not even by yanking my own cable, so he could treat me like some rusty old mech and give me a shot of cybertronium in my manifolds!"

Starscream began to pace around his quarters. While he could have throttled his Trine-mate, a good part of him sympathized. Getting to the brink of overload without release was not only extremely frustrating - something the flesh creatures Thundercracker cared so much about would _not _understand, Starscream thought derisively - but it was also extremely dangerous for an adult mech. A mech's intake and output systems were calibrated to a fine point, and an imbalance of one or the other could wreak havoc on the systems. In the case of a delayed overload, especially if it was continuously delayed and _especially _if it truly was happening anywhere near as long as Thundercracker claimed, it could cause a systemic failure and immediate shutdown. Starscream had even heard of a mech in Vos who'd suffered something similar and finally, literally exploded in a messy shower of transistors, bolts and mech fluid. It was even more dire in a Seeker's case because of the hydraulics involved in their flying mechanisms. No wonder Thundercracker had been lagging during patrols and had seemed reluctant to transform into his alt-mode outside of missions. Starscream was astonished that the blue Seeker was able to stay airborne.

"I can't believe this! You've gone through this for so long and Skywarp hasn't lifted a dactyl to help you attain relief?" Starscream demanded. "As thick-plated a bolthead as he is, I can't believe he actually took his pleasure while letting you writhe in agony!"

"No, that's not true. 'Warp's tried to help. He's tried everything," said Thundercracker, his voice strengthening in defense of the black jet. "He feels awful when I can't … you know. Just to get him to recharge, back when we had extra energon to spare, I'd sort of … fake it."

Starscream nodded absently. He'd heard of pleasure-mechs on Cybertron performing such tricks with vials of energon. Usually those mechs had alt-modes that allowed them to distract their partners while they feigned being in the throes of overload and able to spill the concealed energon all over their crotchplates.

"But now with the shortage, I can't, and … he's asking questions and you know how he can get when he doesn't completely understand something." He rested his chin in his servos, the picture of misery. "I haven't said anything because I don't know what can be done. I keep hoping each time 'Warp and I interface that it will be different, but so far, nothing. 'Warp won't even overload with me now, because he feels so bad. But I know he gets himself off in the mornings when he's in the refreshing unit hosing down his chassis."

Starscream rubbed his neckbolts in exasperation. "Hook will not be back for megacycles, and if he has trouble getting the Combaticons back on-line, it could be even longer. This sort of issue is outside Scrapper's expertise. There's not much that _can _be done. If I take you out of active duty, Megatron will hear of it and wonder why ..." The Air Commander saw Thundercracker's optics widen in alarm. "Exactly. But if we run into the Autobots, I can't have you in the primary column for battle. In your condition, your reflexes are too slow and you're not able to attain top speed. The longer this goes on, the more true this will be. Even that yellow disgrace of a mech Bumblebee would be able to take out your engines."

"So what do I do?" Thundercracker almost whispered. "If I try to force it, I'm just wasting energon. But if I don't do something, I might offline myself if the pressure keeps building up in my circuits. I'm not sure what else to try."

"Maybe you and Skywarp just aren't suited for interfacing any longer," suggested Starscream with a shrug. "You aren't spark-bonded. Perhaps it's time you thought about taking someone else to your berth."

"Someone else like who? One of the Coneheads? Ramjet'd be too rough, with Thrust, it would be over before it began and with Dirge it'd just be … creepy. My ports aren't compatible with the Triple-Changers, and the Insecticons? Ugh … no." Thundercracker tilted his head. "I guess there's Soundwave, but -"

"Soundwave?" Every circuit in his body twitched, and Starscream almost growled the words: "_No_. _No Soundwave._"

Thundercracker grinned suddenly. "Why not? It's not like _anyone_ _else _has invited him to have a good 'face. Maybe he might like a Seeker. You know, he might get hot under the chassis for a gorgeous pair of wings, a sweet little aft and a nice, big, cockpit ..."

"Arrrrrrgh! Frag _off!" _Starscream screeched in rage. "Soundwave's ... _preferences _are none of your concern!"

Starscream knew that there could be no secrets in a Trine-bond, but he really did wish that he could have kept his lust for the Communications Officer locked away in his processor. His Trine-mates had needled him about it for vorns. It was depressing to think about anyway. The best that could be said for Soundwave's feelings toward him was that unlike Megatron, he didn't appear to have the desire to offline him on sight. Starscream had not 'faced with anyone in particular since even before they'd come to Earth, and while he would have adored playing with the dark-blue mech's cable, Starscream considered that Thundercracker would have a better chance of getting Megatron to suck him to overload than he would of getting Soundwave to say more than two civil words to him.

"Your reconnaissance shift starts in two megacycles," Starscream said briskly, turning his thoughts away from the object of his desire. "Get some extra recharge time. Considering your condition, you'll need it. Keep me apprised of your situation. If there's anything I can _reasonably _do, inform me immediately, and _no_," he said when Thundercracker began to speak, "_I'm_ not a candidate for your berth any more than Soundwave is!" The blue flyer closed his mouth again.

"Well, maybe there _is _something you can do," said Thundercracker hesitantly, after a klik or two. "You're the only person here who has the access codes to the main computer. And with Megatron away, it'd be pretty easy ..."

"_What _would?" Starscream had a vague feeling that he wasn't going to like this idea any more than he liked Megatron's plan for finding more energon.

"Well, I was thinking that maybe if you could download some pleasure-bot footage for me … maybe if I could see other mechs going at it, I might get in a better frame of mind for it when Skywarp and I are in the middle of 'facing. Visuals do it for me. 'Warp really couldn't give a slag."

Starscream stared in disbelief at the blue Seeker. "You want me to use my privileged access codes to download pleasure-bot footage for you to overload to?"

"Well, I wouldn't be looking at it _and _'facing 'Warp at the same time. That could get complicated. I'd just watch a bit and maybe even upload it to my processor. Mechs only – femmes fake it too much." Thundercracker looked thoughtful, oblivious to Starscream's rapidly darkening face. "You know, it's a shame you and Soundwave _aren't_ fragging each other's CPUs out. I wouldn't mind seeing _that_. Laserbeak could record the sounds … Reflector could take pictures ..."

The blue Seeker trailed off as he heard a slow hum that sounded suspiciously like an enormously powerful weapon being brought on-line.

"What's that sound?"

-000000-

Ramjet strolled down the hall, wanting to get in a quick 'charge before aerial maneuvers that night. His processor was idling as he passed the quarters of the Decepticon SIC when he heard a sharp, cracking sound from within. He slowed his movements and stopped as the doors flew open and Thundercracker ran out, holding his aft, which appeared to be ... on fire?

"Primus, Starscream, you slaghead!" he yelled over his shoulder, still running and holding his smoking hindquarters. "See if I ever ask you for a favor again!"

The white Seeker reared back as Starscream immediately appeared in his doorway, his null rays still smoking.

"You're lucky you turned when you did or I might have solved your _little _problem for you!" Starscream bellowed at the blue flyer's back, keeping his weapons raised until Thundercracker had disappeared around a corner.

Spotting Ramjet gawking, the Seeker snapped: "Well? Don't _you _have somewhere to be?"

Ramjet looked longingly over Starscream's shoulder into the Air Commander's private quarters. He knew where he _wanted_ to be, but considering that Starscream's null rays were still powered on, Ramjet lowered his head, muttered something unintelligible and followed Thundercracker's lead.


	2. Starscream's Solution

**Part Two**

Starscream dragged into the mess hall with an ache in his processors and growing dread in his spark. Megatron had held a meeting of his high-ranking officers over the comm, and the Decepticon commander had been as imperious and idiotic as usual. All his objections to Megatron's plan for replenishing energon had been dismissed unheard - also as usual - and Megatron had signed off saying that the Combaticons were responding well to their new programming, but he'd be on Cybertron "road testing" the gestalt ream for a few megacycles more.

He sat alone at a table with his half-cube of poorly refined energon and studied the newest figures on the shortage. Starscream truly didn't think Megatron wanted his troops to suffer and rust. He simply just couldn't get it through that microchip of a processor of his that certain plans needed to be made to scale, not conceived in complete ignorance of their current situation or resources. The only thing that had gone right was that they'd not been drawn into any engagements with the Autobots, but Starscream knew that couldn't last. Sooner or later, they would have to tap into the Earth's resources to create energon, and the fragging Autobots would be alerted. In the state they were in now, a newly sparked jet could give them a good fight, to say nothing of Prime and his minions.

The Seeker dimly heard the pede-steps of his fellow Decepticons coming to collect their meager rations. There was not much chatter and he could hear the dullness in the vocalizers all around him. Glancing around, he saw the Coneheads huddled in one corner, the Insecticons were chattering in their odd language on the other side of the room. The Constructicons, minus Hook, were mumbling about how it was likely that their missing comrade was enjoying a cube of the finest high-grade right then.

Starscream's optics found his own Trine-mates, and he watched the two closely. Skywarp was talking a mile a minute and from what Starscream could gather, Thundercracker was giving only listless answers or short nods. His face plates looked almost white and even the tips of his wings looked heavy and lusterless. Obviously nothing had changed in the three or so megacycles since the blue-winged Seeker had confided his "problem" to him. Though he was still slagged off at the mech for the antics he'd pulled in his quarters, Starscream's spark went out to him. If Hook didn't return soon or if Thundercracker didn't find relief somewhere and somehow, there might not be any hope at all for him. Starscream wondered if he should sit with his Trine, even just for a moment, to show solidarity and to maybe indicate to Thundercracker that he wasn't as angry as he'd been. He was still thinking about it when he noticed the arrival of Soundwave.

He walked in studying the same data-pad Starscream had not taken his optics away from all day. He slid into a corner of the mess hall without saying anything to anyone. Starscream briefly wondered where the mech's trouble-making cassettes were and he figured they were housed inside the Communications Officer's data storage compartment. Maybe it was easier for them to absorb energon that way.

Abandoning the pad, Starscream slowly sipped his energon and surreptitiously studied the dark-blue mech. His faceplates, mainly covered by his visor and mask, were turned downward, fully concentrating on the information on the small pad. Starscream had noticed that Soundwave had little to contribute during the meeting, though Megatron had not seemed to care or mind. Neither had Starscream, to be honest. While he enjoyed listening to the TIC's tersely melodic-metallic voice, he also enjoyed watching Soundwave in the midst of thought. He looked utterly guileless, completely absorbed in his task. Powerful, yet with an odd vulnerability, somehow. Starscream was enraptured.

The handsome jet knew that he'd chosen an odd target for his passion. Flyers usually spark-bonded and interfaced among themselves. Starscream had not been very different in that regard in the past, and he generally did not find non-aerodynamic mechs very attractive, but there was just something about the stolid, dark-blue soldier that had tugged at his spark. Despite his unwavering allegiance to Megatron and his rather nonexistent sense of humor, Starscream sensed there was more to his colleague than met the optic, so to speak. There were the times that Soundwave let slip a cutting remark or glared at his subordinates with just the slightest glow of crimson behind that visor and immediately snapped them in line. Starscream had often wondered what the mech was like in a more intimate setting … did he remove his facial armor? In such an unguarded moment, did he allow a spark-mate to see his optics roll back in his plating as he reached the crest of overload?

Starscream was conscious of his intake becoming labored and his faceplates growing hot. He glanced over at his Trine-mate's table, sure that they had picked up on his gawking through the bond and were at present laughing their afts off. He was stunned, therefore, when he saw that neither of them were paying him the least bit of attention. Skywarp's usual good-natured expression had been replaced with one of extreme sadness and concern. He was speaking quietly, stroking one of Thundercracker's wings with a gentle servo. The blue Seeker, for his part, was almost hunched into the table, his energon ration forgotten, looking to be in an immense amount of distress.

Starscream's spark sped painfully at the expressions on his wing-mates' faceplates, though no one else seemed to notice. His previous conversation with Thundercracker looped through Starscream's processor, and he looked in the direction of the control room, where the main computer was located. Using his access code to download mech-interfacing footage would be the height of madness, Starscream knew. Megatron would undoubtedly find out and frag him for such an egregious use of resources. Also and it might not even work for the ailing Seeker - since war had broken out, Starscream had noted that pleasure-bot footage had been somewhat low-quality and only ludicrously arousing.

He suddenly caught sight of Soundwave collecting his ration of energon, and the SIC snickered in spite of himself when he recalled Thundercracker's suggestion that he wouldn't have been averse to seeing some hot, hard interfacing between his Air Commander and a certain Communications Officer. Starscream's quiet laugh deepened, and he shook his head. Well, _that _was as impossible as using his access code.

_Or is it_ ..? Starscream glanced again at Soundwave who was on the other side of the mess taking slow, measured sips of his energon. He had not looked up from the data-pad he'd been studying when he'd first come in. A shadow of an idea began to process in his CPU and he felt his spark hammer in anticipation. It was an idiotic idea. It couldn't work. It might do nothing for Thundercracker. Soundwave might bring him to his knees – and not in a good way. There were millions of reasons why he shouldn't try it, but Starscream was already up and walking toward the Communications Officer, a coy smile playing on his lips. _The things I do for my mechs …_

Soundwave did not look up at his approach, which Starscream had half-anticipated. He wasn't sure if the dark-blue mech was simply _that _engrossed in his task or purposely ignoring him. It didn't really matter for what he had in mind, Starscream knew. His _presence _would be felt soon enough.

"Soundwave!"

The TIC raised his head. "Starscream," he returned with even less emotion than usual.

Starscream hesitated, but he was _there _now. Might as well get on with it, by Primus.

"I have something very important to discuss with you." He spoke a shade louder than was necessary. "What I have to say is for your audios only, so tell your cassettes to run along and play while grown mechs have a … discussion."

Soundwave merely looked at him. Starscream had a felling that the optics behind that visor were glaring holes in his boron compressor, but he reveled in his status as ranking Decepticon officer and he smirked, folded his arms and waited. Soundwave held his gaze for a mega-klik longer, then his compartment opened as he intoned:

"Rumble. Frenzy: Eject."

The trouble-making twins transformed, landing nimbly on the floor. "Hey, what's going on? We were just getting comfortable!"

"Return to quarters," Soundwave said laconically. "Recharge: imminent."

"Already?"whined Rumble. "But we've got at least three billion more astroseconds -"

Soundwave looked at both of them, and Starscream saw his visor glinting a deep, hot red. Frenzy, being the brighter of the two just dragged his brother away and toward the Communications Officer's quarters.

"Laserbeak. Buzzsaw. Ratbat: Eject."

The flying creatures flew into the air and transformed, flapping off immediately after materializing without having to be glared at.

"Ravage: Eject."

The sleek animal transformed and ran off in the direction in which its creator pointed. When she had disappeared from view, Soundwave turned back to Starscream.

"Conditions for personal conversation: met. Proceed."

_Oh, I'm going to proceed all right_. Widening his smile, he rested a servo gently on Soundwave's shoulder and swung around so that he was standing behind him. He spread his thrusters a bit, so that he was nearly straddling the broad, blue plating. He pressed against Soundwave, and deliberately lowered himself until he was bending close enough to murmur directly into his audios.

"It would be bad for morale if the others heard this, so we must speak quietly." Starscream kept up the smile. "This plan of Megatron's … it's slag. You know it and I know it."

Soundwave didn't move and Starscream inched his dactyl sensors down the darker mech's chassis, draping them just above his storage compartment. A slight buzzing at the back of his processor caused Starscream to lose focus for a moment, but he smirked inwardly when he realized that it was a tug on the Trine bond. His wing-mates were taking notice of him and from what he could tell, the proceedings were of definite interest.

"We'll never get a drop of energon following this foolishness," Starscream purred, fanning his dactyls against the mech's compartment in a way that was almost a caress. "Even _you_ know this. We cannot count on the Combaticons being under Megatron's control when they return from Cybertron. I built them, after all. I should know."

Soundwave stirred, but he did not attempt to dislodge the SIC. One would have thought he had plenty of experience with having an Elite Seeker draped all over him. That thought sent a delightful chill up Starscream's spinal connections.

"Plan to restore energon: acceptable. Provided Combaticons operate within .001 korlocks of normal range."

"And they won't. And you know why. It's the main, basic flaw in our _mighty leader_'s plan." Starscream ran the tip of his glossa lightly over his lips, just enough for the others to see him doing so, before leaning in closer, huffing: "The _energon_. The amount of energon needed to sufficiently power the Combaticons would be enormous!"

"Affirmative."

Starscream stopped for a moment. It almost sounded as if there were a glitch in Soundwave's vocalizer, and Soundwave _still _had made no move to pull out of what was essentially an embrace.

"And Megatron has forgotten to account for an ambush by the accursed Autobots!"

"Incorrect: Contingency for Autobot attack – Combaticons will combine to form Bruticus. Reformatting should ensure allegiance to Decepticons."

"Hmm." Starscream hummed, letting the vibrations reverberate through his chassis. This time, the glitch in Soundwave's vocalizer manifested itself as a slight squeak. Starscream was stricken dumb for the briefest moment. The idea that Soundwave was enjoying any of this seemed impossible. It was more likely that he simply didn't want to expend the energy on a sonic blast.

Starscream decided to press his advantage and nudge the dial a bit higher. His servos inched down, lower and lower until they dangled right above the sensitive knobs and buttons of his cassette compartment, and Starscream rested his chin almost lovingly in the space where Soundwave's neck column bolted to his head casing. He could see the small, sturdy bolts there and wondered what might happen if he happened to somehow accidentally lick one. He dismissed the thought. There was no way _that _could "accidentally" happen.

The buzzing over the Trine-bond was growing stronger, and Starscream smiled dreamily as he cooed: "That's the problem. The amount of energon the Combaticons would need to consume is more than what we have now. Our leader wants us to count on a gestalt team protecting us that will be inadequately powered at the outset and therefore would not be able to protect us! And to make things worse, even if we diverted the rest of our energon stores to the Combaticons, it still wouldn't be enough and then we ourselves would not be able to put up an adequate defense!"

He delivered this impassioned argument while absently dragging his dactyls slowly against the sensitive dials. Starscream thought the objects were mainly decorative, but they seemed to hold another function, as Soundwave was discreetly, but certainly, _rocking_ slowly in his seat. Not enough to dislodge the Seeker – in fact, if Starscream had not been plastered to the Communications Officer, he likely would not have noticed, but he could feel the slight movement. He increased the movements of his dactyls and the rocking sped up slightly. The Trine bond was crackling almost uncomfortably now. Starscream was reasonably sure that he and Soundwave were the focus of all the optics in the room, but he paid it no mind, enjoying the gentle motions of the stoic mech.

"Assessment of difficulties in current plan: acceptable." There was a pause, and Soundwave turned his head so that he was looking directly at Starscream. Their faceplates were nearly touching and Starscream could feel Soundwave's warm intakes puffing against his lips. If Soundwave moved a bit closer and retracted his face mask, their lips would meet. But even without that, in such a position, to the outside view, it looked as if they were having a much more intimate conversation than about military strategy. Soundscream shuddered in delight as Soundwave murmured: "Megatron made aware of logic contradiction. Response: Unclear."

Starscream grinned broadly. It was about as close as Soundwave was going to get to calling his dear Megatron a deluded, idiotic glitchridden tube of rusted bolts. It was music to his audios. He noticed that beads of coolant were snaking down Soundwave's faceplates. A reaction, Starscream reasoned, to the idea that Megatron's plan was moronic and that _he'd _known it all along, but it was delicious. It almost looked as if he were getting Soundwave immensely worked up in the diodes.

"Query."

Starscream stopped smiling. Was this the moment that Soundwave was going to ask him why he was coiled around him, stroking his buttons like a 'face-crazed pleasure-mech. He paused in his movements and tried to look leaderly while still gazing tenderly at him. It wasn't very easy to pull off.

"Yes?"

"Do you have a better suggestion?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." Starscream wound his arms tight around the mech's neck plates and blew a breath across the bolting there. This time the shiver was so strong that Starscream could hear rattling, but he pretended not to notice.

"I tried to propose this to Megatron, but he was in such a hurry to get to Cybertron that he didn't have time to listen to how to save our army," Starscream gazed boldly at his colleague, sure the heat in his optics was enough to give off sparks and the longing he felt could be seen even on his home planet. Soundwave was looking back at him, his visor alive with color, but unlike the cassettes, Starscream felt no fear, only desire. He had to gather his wits about him before moving on to his main point.

"My plan is simple, yet brilliant. By now, Optimus Prime's spies on Cybertron will have alerted him to Megatron's presence there. Megatron assured Prime that Bruticus would be destroyed – something that Prime will know to be a lie once Hook gets them online. He'll be assuming, rightly, that Megatron plans to bring the Combaticons back to Earth. While he waits for that, we will release the Insecticons on some far-off city to wreak havoc. Since the Insecticons can subsist on organic material as well as energon, they will adequate power resources to cause a great deal of damage. The idiotic Autobots will feel honor-bound to stop the Insecticons. Prime will also likely leave some behind to man their computer to be on guard for Megatron's return with the Combaticons. While the Autobots are thus occupied, we will take a small team headed by my Trine to an energy source. I'll begin reconnaissance tonight. It shouldn't take long to find _something, _and if we limit our air patrols to one Seeker at a time, we may be able to stay off the Autobots' radar."

There was silence from Soundwave. He'd even stopped rocking. But the Trine-bond was crackling with energy. Starscream knew that if he concentrated, he'd be able to hear the thoughts of his wing-mates, but he didn't want to disengage from what he was doing. He might never get this opportunity or excuse to be so close to Soundwave ever again and he wanted to savor every micro-klik of it.

Finally, Soundwave spoke again. "Chance of success under alternate plan: greater than chance of success under original plan. Conclusion: Revised plan should be implemented immediately after approval of Megatron."

Starscream threw his head back and laughed in sheer delight and twitched his wings as if her were aroused beyond belief, which, in fact, he was. It was as if Soundwave had just declared him the most beautiful Seeker ever sparked. In fact, Soundwave had paid him an even greater compliment – he'd said a plan of _his _was better than Megatron's! Of course Megatron would growl over it, but with Soundwave endorsing the alternate plan, he'd have no choice but to give way, with the added incentive that if the new plan failed, he could blame Starscream. But it would _not _fail, Starscream thought with satisfaction, and Megatron would know it immediately, and better still, Soundwave knew it _now_!

"I knew you'd be able to see reason … Soundwave." Slowly, Starscream disentangled himself, making sure to brush as much of the enticing blue surface as possible as he did so. "Formulate the plan based on what we discussed. I want revised numbers after patrols tonight."

"Affirmative." There was that little hitch in Soundwave's vocalizer again. Starscream frowned slightly as he tried to place it. Was that … bewilderment? No … Anger? No … If he didn't know better, Starscream would have said it was regret. But that was impossible. Maybe his own audios were going glitchy.

Starscream walked off, still considering Soundwave's voice. Could it be the lack of energon or could he really have been … entertained by that display? The Air Commander was still considering it and was almost out the door before he turned around and addressed Soundwave loudly enough for the rest to hear.

"Soundwave – I expect you to be in my quarters showing me _all _that I wish to see without delay." A slag-eating grin stretched across his face from audio to audio. "It isn't wise to keep a Seeker dangling for too long."

He turned without waiting for a reply and strode determinedly toward the exit. There was an excited chatter rising and falling around him, but he locked optics with no mech. Passing by the table where Thundercracker and Skywarp were still seated, Starscream strolled by as if he'd not realized they were there. He was careful to not glance over at his wing-mates to gauge their reactions to his little performance. He didn't have to. He could hear them clear enough, even without the Trine-bond. They were speaking in low, clipped, urgent tones – at least one of them was.

". . . _Now, _'Warp!"

"But I haven't finished my cube yet!"

"Frag the cube! Bring it with you, if you need to, but if you don't get us to your quarters _now_, I'm making _you _clean up the mess!"

The next sound Starscream heard was the slight ripping of reality that accompanied the black mech's warping ability, and he grinned smugly. _You're welcome, both of you._

-0000-

Starscream sat reclining in his berth, on the edge of recharge. His reconnaissance had born fruit. There was an emerging power source deep within earth, not far from the Decepticon base. It was manned by flesh creatures, so they would have to hope to Primus that their Insecticon diversion coupled with the Autobots' knowledge of Megatron's purpose on Cybertron would buy them enough time to get a few million cubes filled and stored away before anyone was the wiser. The Insecticons were somewhat hard to control, that was another variable, but there were ways of corralling them if they didn't follow the program. Threats of deactivation usually worked wonders. Pending Megatron's approval, which he didn't give a slag about, the operation would commence at dawn when all Decepticons would have gotten a good recharge and some energon into their tanks.

The chime of his door sounded and he rose, slightly disoriented. "Yes?"

The door slid open and Soundwave entered impassively, a data-pad in his hand. Starscream cursed silently. He'd been so exhausted from the mission and so excited to identify a potential source of energon, that he'd forgotten he'd asked the lieutenant to stop by later. It had just been to cap off the "show" - he didn't really need anything from Soundwave. Well, okay, he did, but _that _wasn't forthcoming, no matter how well he'd taken to having him wrapped around his chassis earlier.

"Soundwave. You have what I asked for? And you've spoken to Megatron, I trust?"

"Affirmative. Gives approval to revised plan. Suggests reprisals if plans fail."

"Of course he does," Starscream muttered. "But it won't fail, of course."

"Agreed. Chance of success high." That brought a smile to Starscream's face once more, but if Soundwave had meant it as a compliment, it didn't show. " Suggestion: Deploy Insecticons to well-populated Earth city tonight. Damage will be greater by commence of mission at dawn. Autobots will attempt to help humans rebuild damaged areas. Additional time to draw energon: necessary."

"All right. But they shouldn't attract _too _much attention at first. I don't want them engaged in a one-sided battle, sounding a retreat, and coming here only to be followed by Prime and his simpletons. You'll go with my Trine. Be prepared to create energon cubes at maximum capacity." He rubbed his neckplates. "Recharge well. We have a big day ahead."

"Affirmative." But Soundwave did not move to exit the SIC's quarters. He stared down at Starscream, half-reclining in his berth. "Decepticons recharging peacefully. Thundercracker restored to optimal efficiency. Probability of performing well on mission: high."

Starscream's optics nearly popped out of his faceplate. "H-he … what? What do you mean restored to optimal efficiency?"

"Overload achieved. Several times. Recharge entered: immediately."

Starscream gaped. How … what … where …? There was no way, _no _way in Pit, that Thundercracker would have actually _told _Soundwave. Not even _Skywarp_ would have been stupid enough to tell Soundwave. So how in Primus …?

"Decreased efficiency in Thundercracker: noted," said Soundwave, his visor glowing brightly. "Established continual mind-link to determine cause."

Starscream felt his wings start to tremble. If Soundwave had mind-linked with Thundercracker from the time of his predicament, then not only did he know what had been ailing him, but he had been able to read Thundercracker's thoughts on what he was seeing during that little charade in the mess hall. And that meant that Soundwave likely also knew, through Thundercracker, his true feelings …

_Oh slag. Oh slagslagslag. _

Starscream worked hard to pull himself together. Fine. So he knew. Fine. He was still Starscream, second in command of the Decepticon forces, Air Commander, and … oh Primus, Soundwave _knew_, he'd known all along!

"Yes, well, I'm glad he's feeling better." Starscream looked away, hot shame and embarrassment thrumming through his tubes. No doubt Megatron would hear of his little display and would laugh his aft off as soon as he stopped using him as target practice for fragging around during an emergency. "We need everyone at top efficiency for this … this … uhh ..."

Soundwave had moved soundlessly to the side of the berth, and with a grace that Starscream would not have expected, he bent and traced his dactyls over the sensitive material of his wings. The Seeker hissed in surprise and delight as the delicate movements spiraled up and down, tracing odd patterns right above the Decepticon symbol. Starscream was at first too stunned to move, and his mouthplates worked soundlessly as he tried his level best to keep from overcharging on the spot.

"What ... what are you doing?"

"Cessation: desired?"

"Cess - no. No! But why are you doing -?"

"Curiosity." There was an affect in his vocalizer that was different from what Starscream had heard earlier in the mess hall. It was a husky, almost breathless cadence, one that Starscream had never heard before but could spend eons listening to again. "Enjoyment."

"_Enjoyment_? Erm ... yours or mine?"

Soundwave's head tilted slightly. "Significance of question?"

"... Oh." Good point. And he could take a hint. He shut up, and with a welcoming smile, beckoned Soundwave to continue. He idly wondered if the mech's cassettes were getting a good look and a good laugh. Likely he'd have to smack those annoyingly destructive twins around if they got out of hand with needling him. Soundwave likely had his own way of disciplining the unruly sparklings.

"Cassettes recharging in berths," interjected Soundwave as he dragged the tips of his dactyl sensors in a maddeningly slow caress down the sensitive underside of Starscream's wingtips. The Air Commander reflected that it might be very nice to have a telepath as a spark-mate. Someone who could anticipate your questions and desires before you even vocalized them was worth his weight in energon. He wished he had Soundwave's ability, if only to discover what Soundwave had _really _been thinking during that little performance earlier. But if what was happening now was any indication, Starscream could make a pretty good guess what had been going through his CPU.

Starscream let his optics drift shut, not sure what was happening or how, but thanking Primus for whatever it was as Soundwave's nimble dactyls worked magic on his sensitive wings. He was swimming in bliss when the smooth voice washed over him once more:

"Query: What happens to a Seeker who is _kept dangling_?"

"Mmmohfragthat'swonderful- What?" Starscream's processor clicked sharply when he felt Soundwave's hands withdraw, and his optics flew open at the loss of contact. Soundwave was now at the open door, half out of it, looking at him calmly over his shoulder.

"Answer expected: after conclusion of mission. Recharge well: Starscream."

Starscream rose up on his servos, sputtering: "But - you - wait -!"

The doors swished shut but not before Starscream heard Soundwave's soft laughter and not before he felt the familiar stirrings that indicated that he wasn't going to be entering recharge for awhile yet, and he could only hope that Thundercracker's former problem was _not _contagious.

fin


End file.
